Spoken Word

The Fringe is back at multiple venues throughout the city. We are an annual multi-arts festival, this year featuring 70 artists to enthrall you with new drama, stand-up comedy, music, cabaret, variety, dance, poetry and unbelievable magic. Visit chichesterfringe.co.uk for...

This special programme hosted by author Simon Brett will include aspects of William Shakespeare’s London life, costume and fashion and a look at how his works have been played out around the world in film. Speakers for the day are...

Fishbourne Literary Festival presents a special event with Conn Iggulden. Conn is one of the most successful authors of historical fiction writing today. Join him for a fascinating talk in St. Peter and St Mary Church, Fishbourne, PO19 3XT. Conn...

The Chichester Society is hosting a panel discussion by people deeply involved in Chichester’s life who are concerned about the future of our historic city, chaired by the Chichester Observer’s Phil Hewitt. What does our panel, and you, suggest will...

Hailing from the East Coast of America, performance artist William Fontaine brings his unique brand of poetic storytelling to West Sussex. Provocative, playful, and unpredictable in his use of word and sound, there is only one question Fontaine asks of...

Join Cicestrian and international bestselling author Kate Mosse for the exclusive Festival of Chichester paperback launch of her breathtaking novel, The Ghost Ship – with a sneak preview of the final novel in The Joubert Family Chronicles, The Map of...

Three best-selling historical-fiction authors, Suzanne Goldring, Louise Morrish and Gill Thompson, examine why readers eagerly consume novels set during WW1 and WW2. Ranging from the occupation of the Channel Islands to the Special Operations Executive and the Blitz, this lively...

A mystery novel needs: a tight-knit group of characters, seething with resentment and jealousy; a clever murder method; a compelling location; a dramatic denouement; and a pacy story-telling style. How hard can it be? Greg Mosse is the author of...

Arun & Chichester Air Enthusiasts Society presents a Talk by Duncan Dean, former RAF fighter pilot, about the BAE Systems Hawk covering the design, development, and operation of the last all-British built military aircraft. He will take you to the...

West Dean head gardener Tom Brown, in conversation with Observer arts editor Phil Hewitt. Tom was at RHS Wisley before ten years at Parham House and has been gardening at West Dean College since 2019. He writes for BBC Sussex,...

Professor Maggie Andrews talks about her latest book, Political Women: Fifteen Campaigns that Shaped Twenty-First Century Britain. Everyone has heard of the Suffragettes. Professor Andrews also explores some of the less well-known political campaigns fought by women in the last...

Acclaimed poets Maura Dooley and Jeremy Page link with Mike Carey’s Big House Jazz Band to entertain and inspire. There’s also the launch of Poetry & All That Jazz magazine with South Downs poets. Enjoy a delightful mix of words...

This richly illustrated lecture, picks out the major architectural innovations that the ancient Romans introduced. He discusses how the Roman period built on Greek heritage, introduced new architectural orders, and learned to span great voids, with arches, domes, brick and...

Paul Stickler, retired inspector, investigates the 1962 A6 murder using personal papers discovered in 2017 from the woman who survived the attack – Valerie Storie. Reservations: It is necessary to book seats via bookings@talksatsix.co.uk or online at www.talksatsix.co.uk. Although admission is...

Join the globally-bestselling author Anthony Horowitz as he discusses his newest Alex Rider book Nightshade Revenge with fellow bestselling author, Kate Mosse, plus an opportunity to hear about his latest book for adults, Close to Death. A chance for all...

Medicine Woman Amanda Waring leads an empowering and motivating magical event to re-energise and activate self-belief. Enjoy a beautiful sound bath, drumming journey, energy exercises to raise your vibration into a state of liberation, motivation and joy. Be welcomed by...

Have you ever thought about writing your own book? Have you made a start but aren’t sure how to move forward with it Fancy a cuppa and a piece of cake? Join author Helen Garlick to chat about getting your...

Bestselling historian, novelist, and television presenter, Dan Jones discusses the second instalment in his Essex Dogs Trilogy. Wolves of Winter follows the Dogs from the Battle of Crécy in 1346 to the siege of Calais the following year. Tickets £5,...

Craig Gershater will discuss the origins of the NHS, how universal health care, free to the point of delivery, has existed in these difficult times and where it might go in the future. Reservations: It is necessary to book seats...

Join award-winning writers Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux for a live recording of The Three Ravens podcast at Chichester Library. In this episode, they revisit their home county of Sussex to talk history and folklore and tell an all-new version...

Nick Papadopulos spent spring 2024 as an ecumenical accompanier (EA) in Palestine and Israel and will share his experiences. EAs from the UK are coordinated by Quakers and are there to support peace activists on both sides and to moderate...

Readings from two award-winning writers of short fiction. Naomi Booth’s Animals at Night recently won her the reader’s award at the prestigious Edge Hill Short Story competition. Nicholas Royle’s latest book, David Bowie, Enid Blyton and the Sun Machine, is...

The legendary actor and playwright Steven Berkoff reads from Lord Byron’s classic poem Don Juan. Described as ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’ in his lifetime, we celebrate Byron’s bicentenary in 2024. With music from the Romantic period played by...

“Ashdown tiptoes carefully through explosive family secrets” – Observer. After a sold-out appearance last year, bestselling Chichester author Isabel Ashdown returns to her hometown to launch her latest suspense novel Weathering. Isabel Ashdown’s writing career took off with her debut...

Isaac Watts’ Hymns and Spiritual Songs’ is the landmark publication in the history of English hymns. His ‘Joy to the World’, ‘When I Survey the Wonderous Cross’ and ‘O God our Help in Ages Past’ are still sung. Historian Daniel...

At around midday on the 14th February 1748, two travellers stopped for refreshment at The White Hart in Rowland’s Castle. Neither man was seen alive again. Dr Oliver Morgan reconstructs what happened to William Galley and Daniel Chater, and explores...

Chichester SITP meet for themed discussions leading from a starter talk of around 15 minutes. This month’s title, Atheism: Common Sense or Spiritual Cop-Out? is likely to spark a heated debate. Although this date is a one-off exception, the group generally...

Enjoy an inspirational mix of words and music on pastoral themes by classical guitarist Linda Kelsall-Barnett and poet Barry Smith. Linda is the director of the West Sussex Guitar Orchestra and Barry is the director of the South Downs Poetry...

Peter Lantos, prisoner 8431 in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, was deported from Hungary with his family in 1944. His father died of starvation but he and his mother survived. He will talk about life in Belsen, liberation, return to Hungary, behind...